PRICE AND EXPORT AGREEMENTS OF FOREIGN COMBINATIONS. 455
A discount of 3 per cent is allowed for payment within 30 days.
The above is the scale for individual purchasers only. The scale of rebates
to associations of buyers has been rescinded, owing to a disagreement between
the chocolate manufacturers and the said associations of buyers.
In the case of the Swiss Union of Cooperative Societies at Basel, as well as
other concerns or commercial associations who deal with the whole of the
conventional firms to the extent of a yearly sum amounting to more than
100,000 francs, the principle of the global rebate is applicable, and this will
be calculated for each of these concerns or associations according to the class
of rebate to which their annual purchases entitle them. The general assembly
shall determine, in each special case and by a yearly examination, the buyers
to whom the system of ‘the global rebate, as defined above, is applicable.
Associations of buyers are recognized by the conventional agreement in those
conditions under which they are actually constituted—that is, taking into
sonsideration the state of business prevailing at the time being as much from
the point of view of the groupings actually known as of the number of their
membership.
The uniting of associations actually formed will not be recognized by the
present conventional agreement, and such a procedure might, according to the
decision of the general assembly, result in the complete loss of all advantages
granted to such associations.
These conditions, mentioned above, which concern associations, will be
communicated to them by the controller.
ArrICLE 5.
With a view to protecting contracting firms against foreign competition, the
following resolutions have been agreed to:
Each conventional firm has the right to demand an examination as to the
tariff and the conditions attached to it, if this firm can prove that they have
entered into competition with a foreign house offering the same quality of
merchandise at more advantageous conditions. In such a case the controller
has the right to authorize this examination, and must on that day send a
notice to the conventional firms.
In the same way, and on the same occasion, a discussion as to a revision
of the tariff can be introduced at an extraordinary meeting of the general
assembly at the request of any one firm within eight days of this request.

ARTICLE 6.

The conventional firms reserve to themselves the right of guaranteeing their
commercial existence, as follows: ’
The conventional firms can not be compelled, by their signatures to the conventional
 agreement, to adhere to its obligations if these obligations are apt
to endanger their existence; and any firm, which finds itself so situated, has
a right to demand an alleviation of these obligations. Such demands can be
granted by the general assembly by a majority of votes after having heard
the reports which will be submitted to it by the controlling committee formed
to strictly supervise the carrying out of the agreement.

ARTICIE 7.

The conventional firms shall enter into the convention free of all engagements
 with their clients contracted either for the year 1914 or for the followng
 years.

ARTICLE 8.

Associations of buyers are admitted to the benefits of the rebate on the
total amount of the purchases of their members. The merchandise can be
addressed, carriage paid, direct to each member of the association, whereas
it can not be addressed, carriage paid, direct to the clients of wholesale merchants.

ARTICIE O.

The conventional agreement and the minimum tariff, as well as all changes
in the principle or scale of rebates and discounts, can be modified and revised
at any time by a meeting of the general assembly, called 18 days in advance